Residency Information

California Residency Process For Tuition Purposes

 

California residency for tuition purposes eligibility criteria are established by State Law and the California Code of Regulations. California State University implements these Laws and Regulations. California State University cannot alter or waive the eligibility criteria for any reason. Under California law, if you have moved to California primarily to attend a California institution of higher learning, then you are not eligible for in-state tuition.

The complete policy and information is available at the California Residency for Tuition Purposes website.

 

Residence Reclassification

In order to change from non-resident to resident status, Student's must first apply for reclassification and provide documentation to support their claim for resident status. Please fill out the Residence Reclassification Request Form. Along with the form, you will need to submit a copy of any and all documents that you believe will support your residency claim. A failure to provide all required documentation at the time of application will result in a denial of reclassification.

Documents must include the student's name, the student's California address, and a date at least one year and one day prior or on the Residence Determination Dates (RDD) for the term. For students under the age of 19, documents must be in the parent or legal guardian's name unless an exception applies. Also, a parent or legal guardian's immigration status does not preclude a student from establishing residency; therefore, the parent or legal guardian is not required to provide any immigration documents to demonstrate intent.

Residence Determination Dates:

 

 

Documentation Required:

A minimum of three documents is required. At least one document must be from list A, and the remaining documents may be selected from either List A or List B.

Options to meet the requirement: 

• Option 1: One document from list A and two documents from List B
• Option 2: Two documents from list A and one document from List B
• Option 3: All three documents from list A (for example, CA driver's license, CA vehicle registration, and CA Voter Registration card)

Please note: The campus residency specialist may require additional documents in addition to the documents listed in List A and B to determine the residence status.

List A:

• California State Income Tax Return
• Ownership of residential property as a primary residence in California (must meet RDD)
• Continuous occupancy of rented or leased property in California (must meet RDD)
• Obtaining a California Driver's License or Identification Card (must meet RDD)
• Registering To Vote and Voting history (must meet RDD)
• Registering a Motor Vehicle Operated in California (must meet RDD)
• Permanent Military Address or Home of Record on Military Records (must meet RDD)
• Receipt of California state services (e.g., unemployment, disability, CalFresh) (must meet RDD)
• Payment of nonresident tuition at an out-of-state institution if attended within the past year

List B:

• Federal Income Tax Return with a California address
• Utility bill (e.g., cell phone, gas, electrical) with same California address (must meet RDD, and only one utili​ty bill will be accepted)
• Maintaining Active Resident Memberships in Professional Organizations (e.g., police union, teacher's union) (must meet RDD)
• Maintaining an Active Bank Account with a California address (must meet RDD)
• Employment in California (e.g., verification of employment, W-2, pay stubs) (must meet RDD)
• Vehicle insurance with a California address (student must be listed in the policy) (must meet RDD)
• Selective Service Registration with a California address
• Court documents (e.g., ward of the court, divorce decree, or child support)

Your application for reclassification should be submitted to the Office of the Registrar with all required supporting documentation.

For further information regarding residence reclassification, please refer to the California Residency for Tuition Purposes.